Michail Antonio: We know we have the quality to keep pushing

West Ham United forward Michail Antonio feels that he and his teammates have the ability and drive required to push on from their recent performances.

The Hammers did well on Tuesday to show the strength of character needed to come out on top against Watford, despite perhaps not reaching the same level of offensive fluency as they have throughout much of the rest of the season.

As it was, Jarrod Bowen’s deflected second-half effort was enough to earn the Irons a 1-0 win which – when judged on the balance of play, with the Irons also twice striking the woodwork – their display did merit.

But Antonio, who returned for Tuesday’s win following a productive spell with Jamaica on international duty – the No9 scored for the Reggae Boyz in their defeat to Panama – believes winning when you aren’t playing well is the hallmark of any ambitious side.

“Three points on board is always important,” the forward told whufc.com. 

“Obviously against Watford, it wasn’t one of our best games as a team, but getting the three points and being resilient in those moments is key to us finishing where we want to finish at the end of the season.

“The quality that we have, and with the players that we have, we know that we can keep going and we can keep pushing until the end of the season. 

“Hopefully we can keep going and we can pick up on our form and our gelling together, and have a strong final third to the season.”

The Irons’ next assignment is a trip to the King Power Stadium on Sunday afternoon, where they will come against a Leicester City side they have beaten in their last three games. 

It was an amazing night against Leicester last time. It's something I'm always going to remember

Michail Antonio

Antonio has scored three times in his last two appearances against the Foxes, most notably bagging a record-setting brace in the Irons’ thumping 4-1 win at London Stadium in August.

In doing so, Antonio moved ahead of Paolo Di Canio as West Ham’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer – memorably celebrating with a cardboard cut-out of himself and a ‘Dirty Dancing’ inspired routine!

And the ever-charismatic forward eyes Sunday’s trip to Leicestershire as an opportunity to write more Hammers history as they bid to maintain a top-four challenge in the Premier League.

“It was an amazing night against Leicester last time,” Antonio smiled. “It’s something that I’m always going to remember. 

"That’s now in the past, though, so hopefully, this Sunday, I can pick up and start scoring more goals again. 

“It would be lovely to create more memories [against them].”